A Miami journalist who is a frequent contributor to the national Fox News channel was arrested Friday and charged with "kidnapping and financially exploiting" her 88-year-old mother, whom she allegedly committed against her will to a nursing home and took more than 200,000 dollars.
Catherine Areu Jones, 51, was arrested on charges including "exploitation of the elderly, conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to commit a fraud scheme, kidnapping and false imprisonment," among other crimes, according to the County Attorney's Office. of Miami-Dade on Friday.
Areu Jones, who signed her collaborations under the name of Cathy Areu, worked as a columnist for The Washington Post and as a guest on Fox News, appearing on the show hosted by Tucker Carlson under the name "Liberal Sherpa," according to the channel. NBC 6 South Florida.
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The outlet noted that Areu Jones had been wanted by the department against the exploitation of the elderly of the state attorney's office and by the Miami-Dade Police since last June, when an arrest warrant was issued for her.
But the journalist moved residence several times, even residing in Mexico, and had managed to evade arrest until now.
The woman remains detained in a Miami-Dade jail and without the right to bail, according to the authorities.
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The investigation into Areu Jones began in early 2019, after the Department of Children and Family received reports that the journalist was exploiting her mother.
The allegations included an allegation that a quitclaim deed had been used to turn over full title to the victim's home to Areu Jones.
The victim denied signing the document, authorities said.
Areu Jones allegedly filed complaints that multiple people were neglecting or exploiting the victim, who allegedly had organic brain damage or dementia, rendering her unable to properly care for herself, prosecutors said.
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Authorities said Areu Jones allegedly used a revoked power of attorney to twice involuntarily place his mother in assisted living facilities so he could control her financial assets.
The first time, Areu Jones tricked her mother into thinking she was going to buy ice cream with her granddaughters, but the old woman ended up locked up in an assisted living facility, prosecutors said.
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The elderly woman was able to call someone she knew for help before Areu Jones ordered the center to stop her from using the phone or having visitors, prosecutors said.
In the second incident, Areu Jones and another person allegedly dragged the elderly woman from her home and to another facility, authorities said.
Neighbors who saw the victim's shoe in her driveway and the open front door contacted police.
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In both incidents, investigations and interventions by adult protection investigators and doctors led to the release of the victim from the facility.
When detectives reviewed the victim's accounts, they showed a total loss of more than $224,000, including missing disbursement of proceeds from a mortgage on the home that appeared to go to accounts controlled by Areu Jones, prosecutors said.
Detectives also discovered that the credit cards had allegedly been opened in the victim's name and used by Areu Jones, and the bank accounts also recorded numerous withdrawals that were allegedly used by the suspect, authorities said.
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"Every incident of alleged elder exploitation or abuse touches our hearts and never ceases to amaze us. It seems particularly difficult to understand when the alleged perpetrator of the exploitation is a daughter, son or other blood relative," said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle in a statement.
"Often these abuses occur behind closed doors, out of public view. We in Miami-Dade County will use all the resources of the State Attorney's Office Elder Exploitation Task Force and the Miami-Dade Police Department to prevent these violations," added Fernandez Rundle.
Miami-Dade police said the investigation is ongoing.
With information from EFE and
NBC 6 South Florida